Manila cop caught using cocaine at a Halloween party

A Manila policeman was allegedly caught using cocaine while at a Halloween party in a high-end bar in Taguig City on Wednesday evening.

According to Joseph Morong on his report for 24 Oras on Thursday,  the club's bouncer caught Police Officer 1 Redentor Bautista using cocaine inside the comfort room.

Authorities seized from him .04 grams of cocaine and a piece of straw that he used to snort drugs.

According to Taguig police, Bautista claimed that he was a relative of alleged drug dealer Jaybee Sebastian.

"For verification lang po, 'yung relationship niya kay Jaybee Sebastian... na sinasabi niyang kamag-anak niya, parang bayaw 'yun po ang sinasabi niya," PCP-7 Commander Police Chief Inspector Joseph Austria said.

Bautista is facing raps for possession and use of illegal drugs as well as administrative charges.

He refused to give clear answers to questions, even those from National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar.

Bautista, who had just joined the force in 2013, reportedly called in sick just to attend a party amid preparations by the Philippine National Police's (PNP) to implement security measures for Undas.

Eleazar reprimanded Bautista in front of the media.

"Naka-full alert tayo. Nagpe-prepare lahat para sa Undas...Lahat nagpe-prepare, ikaw ano'ng ginagawa mo? Nasa isang club, nagko-cocaine?" Eleazar told the policeman.

Bautista's message to his family: "Yung mother ko po, saka 'yung mga kapatid ko po. Saka po 'yung mga anak ko, tibayan niyo po ang loob n'yo. Hangga't may buhay, may pag-asa."

Meanwhile, the NCRPO chief has issued a directive to PNP officials conduct a ransom drug test in police stations.

"I'm calling all the district directors to conduct random drug tests once again," he said. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News